Applesauce Cake

By Bill Dwyer

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups brown sugar (tapa de dulce)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonado de sodio)
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tap ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground or grated nutmeg
• 2 cups applesauce*(preferably chunky,  recipe below)
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (nogales)
• powdered sugar

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
2. In a large bowl blend the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Add the applesauce and stir until well blended.
3. Combine the flour, baking sods. salt and spices in a separate bowl. Stir with a fork. Sift gradually into the other ingredients until well blended.
4. Add the raisins and walnuts and fold them into the batter.
5. Pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9”x13” pan. Bake for about one hour, rotating the pan 180º  hour. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry.
6. Cool on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. 

NOTE: *If you can’t find applesauce at the store, here is an easy recipe.  

• 3 lbs     Granny Smith apples (about 6 apples), peeled and cored, cut into 1-inch dice
• ½ tsp    ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp  sugar
• ¾ cup   water
• 2 tsp    lemon or lime juice

Put all ingredients into a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the apples are soft and the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Mash the apples to a chunky consistency.